The Doctors O'Callaghan
by Nitrowugs
Summary: Problems are encountered along the way, but that's what makes the end so much sweeter, isn't it?  AU


The Doctors O'Callaghan

Author: Nitrowugs

Rating: PG (maybe)

Pairings: B/A F/A

Feedback: Please. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with BtVS or AtS. (Characters from the shows are borrowed with no infringement intent whatsoever.)

Distribution: Please ask and let me know where it's going.

Written: 07/28/2011

Summary: Problems are encountered along the way, but that's what makes the end so much sweeter, isn't it?

A/N: AU. No slayers or vampires; all characters are human.

Angelus O'Callaghan was the only son of Liam and Katherine O'Callaghan and heir apparent to one of the wealthiest family fortunes in California. It was trivial to say that Angelus, Angel to his closest friends, had always gotten everything he wanted, that is, everything that money could buy. He was handsome and charming and never lacked for female attention, "too much" his mother often said; she did not understand why women of all ages would blatantly throw themselves at her son.

Angel, however, paid no attention to such women; his entire focus was unswervingly on the very beautiful Elizabeth (Buffy) Ann Summers. They had been friends since childhood and going steady since their senior year in high school. They were currently second year medical students and, thanks to Buffy, doing very well. She pushed them both. She took every opportunity they had to be together and turned it into a study date. Angel didn't mind; whatever made Buffy happy was okay with him.

Buffy lived with her mother, Joyce and her younger sister, Dawn; her father Hank, had long since become an absent parent. Even before her parents divorced, her father was never there for his family so Joyce was really the true family head. Maybe that was one of the reasons Buffy pushed herself so much, she wanted to make her mother proud. Buffy, Joyce and Dawn were a close knit family supported by Joyce and the art gallery that she owned.

Buffy's life took an unforeseen turn at the sudden and unexpected death of her mother. The art gallery, it seemed, was over-extended and in debt; to pay off her mother's debt she ended up having to sell the art gallery and the house that they lived in. With the little money that was left, she bought a small condo, just big enough for herself and her sister.

After that she had no choice, she had to have an income to support the two of them. Even though she was in school on scholarship, she knew that she had to have gainful employment for herself and her sister to survive. So at the end of her second year, Buffy said what she hoped was a temporary goodbye to medical school.

The same summer that Buffy dropped out of medical school, Angel met Faith, a party girl, who seemed to be just what Angel needed. Faith showed him what fun was to be had and how tiring the unending pushing to do better had become. Fun was what he wanted and fun in abundance was what he had with Faith. Needless to say, soon his grades were slipping and for the first time since he was in elementary school, Angel's grades were below par.

Even though she was no longer an official student, Buffy kept up her studies and after locating her father and insisting that he take responsibility for Dawn, she was able to return to medical school the next year. She had kept up her studies and was able to pass most of the classes that she missed thanks to continuing to study with Angel. By the end of her third year she was only behind in her lab work which she was able to make up over the following summer.

With her insistence Angel barely kept up with his school work and finally broke up with Buffy during his senior year because, according to him, he was tired of her nagging him about studying.

"You were studying more than I was and you were no longer taking classes," he complained.

Angel managed to graduate and was offered an internship at the local hospital, thanks, no doubt, to his father's position on the hospital board. At this time Buffy still had a semester to go.

Dawn turned 18 that summer and her father would no longer provide support for her; she and Buffy took jobs to support themselves with the promise from her sister that as soon as she finished her internship, she would pay for college for Dawn.

Buffy attended Angel's graduation from medical school and after the ceremony she saw him kissing Faith. She turned away crying. Angel saw her and followed her to her car. As she struggled to unlock the car door, he caught up with her and offered her a handkerchief, "Something irritating your eyes, miss? Let me help you; I'm a physician."

"Congratulations. I knew that you would make it."

"I owe it to you, Buffy. There is no way I would have kept up with my studies without your support and encouragement."

"And nagging," Buffy said as she managed a smile.

Angel smiled also, "And much needed nagging." He hesitated briefly before saying, "I want to give you something, to say thank you."

"You don't have to do that. Seeing you graduate is more than enough for me."

"Actually I kind of bought it as a gift for both of us. Come with me, I'll show you."

Buffy looked at him skeptically, "Angel, I have to be at work in less than two hours, so I really don't have much time…"

"This won't take long, I promise."

She had never been able to refuse him when he turned on the charm, so she agreed. "All right."

"I'll have to blindfold you."

After an audible sigh, she asked, "What are you up to? Isn't Faith waiting for you?"

His reply was a simple, "No."

They got into his car and Angel put a blindfold over her eyes and drove to Buffy's old house on Revello Drive. He parked the car. "Wait right here." Angel got out of the car, ran up to the front door and unlocked it; he then returned and helped Buffy out of the car. He walked her up to the house directing her steps.

Once they were inside the house he told her, "Hold on just a moment; I want to do this right." At that he got down on one knee and then said "remove the blindfold."

When she did, Buffy realized that she is in her old house.

Before she can say anything Angel took her hand and asked, "Buffy, will you forgive my stupidity and make me the happiest man in the world by becoming my wife?"

"But F-Faith…" she stammered.

"Was never more than a passing fad which quickly ran its course. When you saw us back there, we were saying goodbye."

"I..I don't know what to say."

She heard Dawn's voice from the kitchen yelling, "Just say yes, sis."

Buffy nodded her head and mouthed "yes" as tears streamed down her face. Angel put a beautiful ring on her finger, stood and kissed her as her sister and her friends entered the living from the kitchen with applause, laughter and congratulations.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"I've been planning to ask you to marry me since we were in high school. When I saw your house for sale I knew I wanted to buy it and present it to you as a present because I knew how much you loved it. I was hoping that maybe we could share it. I talked to Dawn about it and when she said that you still loved me, I knew that I wanted to ask you to marry me and present the house to you at the same time. I know that together we can fill it with love and laughter and lots of happy kids."

"I think mom would like that."

"I know that she would," Dawn told her, "and as soon as you two get married, the condo is mine."

"You're moving out?"

"Yes. I'm not staying here to provide you two with a live-in babysitter for the house full of kids I know you're going to have."

Dawn was right. The two Doctors O'Callaghan did have a house full, seven in all, of healthy, happy kids.


End file.
